Abstract: A device for providing a dermatological treatment, the device includes a device body, a radiation delivery system for delivering radiation to the skin to provide a dermatological treatment, and a situation-specific control system. The control system includes a plurality of sensors and control electronics programmed to receive signals from the plurality of sensors; determine whether to initiate radiation delivery by the radiation delivery system based on a comparison of the signals received from the plurality of sensors to a first condition; and once radiation is initiated, determine whether to continue radiation delivery by the radiation delivery system based on a comparison of the signals received from the plurality of sensors to a second condition that is different than the first condition.

Abstract: A hand-held device for providing laser-based dermatological treatments includes a laser beam source supported in a device body, an automated scanning system, and control electronics. The automated scanning system is configured to receive an input beam generated by the laser beam source and scan the input beam to provide a series of output beams for delivery to the skin via an application end of the device to form a pattern of treatment spots on the skin. The application end is configured for movement across the skin during a treatment session. The control electronics control the laser beam source and/or the automated scanning system to deliver the scanned output beams to the skin at a radiation intensity sufficient to provide an effective dermatological treatment, and wherein the scanned output beams delivered from the application end of the device meet the Class 1M or better eye safety classification per the IEC 60825-1.

Abstract: A device for treating an area of skin by scanning radiation to form a pattern of treatment spots on the skin may include a radiation source that generates an input beam, and a scanning system that scans the input beam to provide a sequential series of reflected output beams that form a pattern of treatment spots on the skin. The scanning system may include a rotating scanning element including a plurality of reflection surfaces, each configured to reflect the input beam in an angular direction to provide one of the reflected output beams, such that as the rotating scanning element rotates about an axis, the input beam is sequentially reflected by different reflection surfaces to provide the sequential series of reflected output beams, wherein a first reflection surface is offset from a second reflection surface in a direction generally along the axis of rotation of the rotating scanning element.

Abstract: A self-contained, hand-held device for providing a dermatological treatment may include a device body configured to be handheld by a user, a radiation source including a beam source configured to generate an energy beam, an application end configured to be manually moved across the surface of the skin, a sensor configured to generate signals based on an interaction with the skin, and electronics configured to automatically identify a series of intrinsic skin features based on the sensor signals, and control at least one operational parameter of the radiation source based at least on the identification of such skin features.

Abstract: A phototherapy device includes an outlet end to be placed in contact with a person's skin, a heat exchanger, an optical structure arranged between the heat exchanger and the outlet end, and a light source arranged between the heat exchanger and the outlet end, and configured to emit light for delivery to the skin through or adjacent the optical structure. The heat exchanger may include a first heat transfer portion thermally coupled to the light source for dissipating heat from the light source, and a second heat transfer portion thermally coupled to the optical structure for dissipating heat from the optical structure. The first and second heat transfer portions of the heat exchanger may be substantially thermally isolated from each other, e.g., partially or completely physically separated from each other.

Abstract: A self-contained, hand-held device for providing a dermatological treatment includes a handheld device body, a radiation source supported in the device body, an automated scanning system, an application end, and a displacement control system. The automated scanning system is configured to receive an input beam generated by the radiation source and scan the received input beam to provide a series of output beams for delivery to the skin via the application end of the device to form a pattern of treatment spots on the skin. The application end is configured to be manually moved across the surface of the skin during a treatment session. The displacement control system includes a displacement sensor configured to determine a displacement of the device relative to the skin, and electronics configured to control at least one operational parameter of the device based on the determined displacement of the device relative to the skin.

Abstract: A dermatological treatment device includes a device body; a laser diode bar configured to generate laser radiation for delivery to a target area of tissue, the laser diode bar having a fill factor of at least 50%; a power source; and control electronics configured to provide power from the power source to the laser diode bar such that the laser diode bar generates a laser beam; wherein the device is configured for delivering the generated laser beam to the target area of tissue to provide a dermatological treatment.

Abstract: A dermatological treatment and analysis system includes a handheld treatment device having a handheld body, a treatment radiation source that delivers a dermatological treatment to the skin, and skin sensor(s) configured to generate signals indicative of one or more skin properties. A wireless transmitter is integrated in the handheld treatment device or in a docking/charging station that receives the handheld treatment device. The wireless transmitter is configured to receive skin-related data comprising the signals from the at least one skin sensor and/or information derived from such signals, and to wirelessly transmit the received skin-related data for analysis of the skin-related data by a remote data analysis system, which may analyze the received skin-related data to generate skin analysis data, and communicate the skin analysis data as feedback to the user of the handheld treatment device, e.g., via a website or application hosted on an internet-connected device of the user.

Abstract: A dermatological treatment device includes a handheld device body, and a laser control circuit housed in the device body and configured to generate laser radiation for delivery to a target area of tissue. The laser control circuit includes a multiple-emitter laser diode and a battery source. The multiple-emitter laser diode includes a monolithic stack of layers formed on a substrate, the monolithic stack of layers including a multiple-emitter region defining at least two emitter junctions, each emitter junction configured to emit a laser beam. The battery source provides current to the laser diode such that each of the at least two emitter junctions concurrently emits a laser beam, the at least two concurrently emitted laser beams forming a collective beam. The device delivers the collective beam to the target area of tissue to provide a dermatological treatment.

Abstract: A device for providing radiation-based dermatological treatments includes a device body configured to be handheld by a user; a VCSEL laser supported in the device body, the VCSEL laser including multiple spaced-apart VCSEL beam sources configured to generate multiple discrete laser beams for generating multiple discrete treatment spots on the skin; an application end configured to be manually moved across the surface of the skin during a treatment session; and electronics configured to control the multiple VCSEL beam sources to emit the multiple discrete laser beams toward the skin to provide a dermatological treatment.

Abstract: A device for providing laser-based dermatological treatments may include a device body having an application end, a VCSEL laser supported in the device body and including multiple emitter zones, each emitter zone comprising one or more micro-emitters, each micro-emitter configured to emit a micro-beam, wherein at least two of the multiple emitter zones are configured such that the micro-beam emitted by the micro-emitters of the at least two emitter zones form a combined beam through the application end of the device to provide a treatment spot on the skin, and electronics coupled to the at least two emitter zones and configured to control the at least two emitter zones independently.

Abstract: An automated test system for testing devices being manufactured comprises an infrared communications link for free space communications between a host and a device under test. The communications link is asymmetric and instructions from the host are acknowledged by the device. The instructions cause the device to operate, and the output of the device is monitored, logged, and compared to acceptance criteria. The host can then generate calibration messages to the device, to change the device operating characteristics as appropriate. The communications link uses an unmodulated data stream together with asynchronous handshaking and a robust checksum algorithm to ensure accurate communication.

Abstract: A sensor for detecting the presence of skin is disclosed, one configuration of which uses multiple light emitting diodes, each of a unique wavelength band, and a broad-band photodetector to measure the remission of light at multiple wavelengths from a material being analyzed. Characteristics of the spectral remission of the material are used to discriminate human skin from materials that are not human skin. Further, an aesthetic medical device utilizing such a sensor in which the device is inhibited from operation if skin has not been detected. The incorporation of a skin sensor improves the safety of devices that emit radiation that otherwise would pose a hazard if not directed onto skin.

Abstract: A safety and interlock circuit for use with devices which could cause injury if an error condition causes improper operation. A control program executing on a processor monitors a variety of device conditions, including pulse over-duration threshold, diode over-current threshold, pulse lock-out duration, temperature threshold, and pulse repetition frequency limit, and prevents the laser from firing if an error condition is detected. In addition, the error conditions are logged in a persistent memory to facilitate subsequent diagnosis and correction.

Abstract: Light-source treatment devices such as dermatological or cosmetic devices include a skin contacting surface layer that is antimicrobial. The antimicrobial skin contacting surface layer enhances the cleanliness of the device and helps reduce infection and contamination risks associated with use of the devices, particularly where the treatment of multiple individuals occurs. The antimicrobial layer may be titanium dioxide.

Abstract: A skin proximity sensor and method are disclosed in a dermatologic treatment device that includes a bezel or similar surface, and a treatment source capable of being activated to supply a dermatologic treatment through the bezel or surface, such as a window or similar port. A plurality of contacts leading to remotely located capacitors, in some embodiments, or a plurality of capacitive sensors in other embodiments, is positioned in or under the bezel and around the window, and control circuitry coupled to the plurality of capacitors senses the change in capacitance due to skin and inhibits activation of the dermatologic treatment device unless the proximity of skin is sensed. The presence of skin is detected, for example, by measuring changes in charge and discharge times, indicating a variation in capacitance.